Blueboy was pretty sick, so 
Mark and I decided to go into town and get Doc Burrage. Mark thought that we should have given Blueboy sulfa and molasses. I thought the doctor would know best what to do for him. He was a pretty sick colt. I thought the Doc should take a look at him. "Doc sure must know his business, being able to take care of people and horses both," said Mark. When we got there the doctor wasn't in his office so we headed on over to the Marshal's office to see if he had any idea where the Doc was.As we entered the Marshal's office, the Doc was attending to a patient. There were two other men standing over him. I asked Micah what was wrong. He told me that a man had gotten bushwhacked outside of town. "Bushwhacked? That's all open country," I replied. Micah agreed, " that's what so puzzling about the whole thing," he said. The shots seem to come out of nowhere. These two deputies were taking him over to Silver City to be a witness in a court trial. "Not much medicine you can do for a dead man," said Doc Burrage. "Might as well open the jail door right now and let Slade out," remarked one of the deputies. "Slade Burrows?" I asked. Micah introduced the deputy to Mark and I as Deputy Phil Rogers. I preceded to question the deputy about Slade Burrows. Even Mark had heard of this gunslinger. He told us that Judge Marks from Silver City has been trying to get a case that would stand up against him in court. He had one until this witness got killed. I question what they had charged him with. He told me that about a 
month back Slade killed a man near Silver City, but he claims he was visiting his brother in Arizona Territory at the time. "Hmmmmm.....Silver City.....about a month ago. I was there a month ago on some cattle business. I took a good look at the dead man. Yes, this is the man I saw riding with Slade and another rider out near the Landon Ranch." The Deputy told us that's where the killing took place, the Landon Ranch. I mentioned a third rider who was an older man with a beard. "That's Elijah Manor, the man Slade killed" said Deputy Rogers. He told me that I had just cut Slade Burrow's alibi clean out from under him. He wanted me to be "The Second Witness." Micah was concerned, he saw what had just happened to the first witness and didn't want this to happen to me. He also questioned if I wanted to get mixed up in this. I asked the Deputy when the trial was. He told me it was set for Friday and I told him I would be there. The deputies offered me safe conduct to Silver City, but looking down at their other witness I felt I was better off to go it alone.After our business was finished in town, Doc came back to the ranch to look at Blueboy. The Doc told Mark to keep Blueboy warm, and try to keep Blueboy from taking off the blanket. When he finished with Blueboy, Doc called me aside. He told me how sick Blueboy was and that he don't think he'll pull thru. I told him how special Blueboy was to Mark. He told me that Mark can get over loosing a 
horse, but loosing a father is something else, that whoever gunned down the first witness will be after me next. He thought what I can tell them was not important and that I didn't really see anything. "I saw Slade Burrow, that was enough for me," I said. "What happens to Mark if something happens to you?" He asked. I told him that a man lives by certain principles Doc, take those away and he might as well be dead. Doc said that sometimes principles have to bend a little. "I don't agree, if you start bending principles, then they're not principles anymore. Like the fellow who says he wants to be a little dishonest, it just can't be done," I said. He thought I was a fool, but I knew he understood how I felt and respected me for my beliefs.I had to go into town and check to make sure Hattie would take care of Mark while I was out of town. Hattie scolded me and felt the same way about my testifying as the Doc did. When I got home, I heard my son in the barn crying. "He's no better Pa," says Mark. "He might not get better son," I told him, and that he had to face up to it. Then he told me he didn't want me to go to Silver City. He told me that Freddie's Pa said I wouldn't come back. "And I said I will Mark," and I meant it! That night I tossed and turned, not sleeping well. Sometime in the night Mark awoke and got up. He looked at me, then finding me asleep, went into the kitchen and poured himself a glass of milk. Restless and worried, he walked over to the door, opened it,
and stood in the doorway, gazing out at the horizon we enjoyed looking at each evening from our porch. This time he was alone, and in the darkness, a small boy alone can fill the night with his own fearful imaginings. Fortunately, I woke and noticed his empty bed. When I found him standing there in the doorway, I came up behind him and stood there awhile, a hand on his shoulder. Finally, in the silence, I gave a voice to his fear. I said, "World looks awful big and lonely at night, doesn't it son?" I put a hand on each of his small shoulders and tried to reassure him, to take away some of the burden for my decision to go and testify that I had put on my son. Mark accepted it then. He knew nothing could ever really separate us, and that I would indeed return. We turned, closed the door, and went back to a more peaceful sleep.
The next morning when I came out of the house looking for Mark I saw a strange horse outside of the barn. I asked Mark if he knew whose horse that was and he said it was Brad's horse, that he was out back washing up. "Brad, Brad who?" I asked. He told me he didn't know who he was but that he was the one who fixed up Blueboy. He told me that Brad slept in the barn last night. I found this strange that he didn't come to the door last night. Mark was so glad that he made Blueboy well that he didn't see anything wrong with it. Mark was in much better spirits, Blueboy was eating. Brad was his friend. "You act in haste son, you repent in leisure." I told him that it's best to make friends slowly. Just then Brad enters the barn and introduces himself as Brad Davis. I told him how grateful we were for helping Blueboy and invited him for breakfast. He told us he was going to Silver City to look for work and heard that I might be heading that way myself. Mark told him that I am going to be a witness. I really didn't want him to boast about it. Brad asked me when I would be leaving, that maybe we could ride together. I told him I didn't rightly know. I wasn't letting anyone know for now. That's the way I wanted it.
Micah rode in with a rifle to show me. Deputy Rogers had figured out some of what was going on with the killing he had witnessed the other day and sent word over to Micah. Whoever did the killing used a rifle with a telescope mounted on it. I heard about such guns but had never seen one before. A lot of them had been manufactured back east during the war. Sharpshooters would use them to pick off enemy officers. Well now I at least know what I was up against and yes, I was still going. I planned on leaving that night and asked Micah to take Mark to Hattie's in the morning. That way, no one would have any idea when I had left.He got the rifle out from behind a bale of hay. He told me it was a Lyman Special ~ ten power scope ~ full windage ~ elevation knobs. Optics, best made in Europe. There were no more than three like it. He didn't need a telescope at this range. He planned on killing me. I asked him what he was waiting for. He planned on me getting saddled up and let everyone think that I had set out to Silver City, and got it on the trail, same as the first witness. I asked him what Slade was paying him. He told me he doesn't kill for money and that he has feelings the same as me, that Slade is his brother. Brother or no, he's not much of 
a man to kill for. He agreed that his brother is down right mean. The part of this he didn't like was leaving that nice boy without a father for the likes of his brother. But Slade was his brother. They looked out for each other. He told me that Mark will grow up with or without me and that's just the way it is.
The next day I got ready to head off to Silver City and I told Mark that I'd be back in a couple of days. Mark said....."I know you will Pa."
piddlin' stuff.....Michael Pate appeared in 5 episodes - he first appeared 
in the 'New Orleans Menace,' he played Xavier, the man who thought Lucas to be 'a muchy man.' His next episode was 'The Second Witness,' he played Brad Davis, he was the man dead set on killing Lucas for testify against his brother. In 'The Visitor' he played Pete Morgan, he tried to kill Ann Dodd in this episode. In 'The Mescalero Curse,' he played Mogollan, an Apache Indian who put 'The Mescalero Curse' on Lucas. The last episode he played Sanchez, in 'The Executioner,' the Indian and one of the heavies that came to collect his share of stolen money from a friend of Lucas's that just got out of jail. He also appeared with Chuck Connors in "Branded" in 'Call to Glory,' as Crazy Horse. [aka ~ Blade Rider, Revenge of the Indian Nations]
He was born in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. When World War II broke, he served in the Australian Army in the SWPA unit. He was later seconded to the 1st Australian Army Amenities Entertainment Unit - The Islanders - in various combat areas.
Michael Pate began his career in 1938 writing and broadcasting a program called 'Youth Speaks' for ABC Radio with George Ivan Smith. He also wrote for newspapers and magazines and began writing as a book and theatre critic. He started acting in 1941.
He also was a TV Series writer for "Rawhide."William [Bill] Meigs has appeared in three episodes. The first episode was 'The Sheridan Story,' as Colonel Cushman. He was in Deputy Phil Rogers - remember him? He's the Deputy that offered Lucas safe passage to Silver City when he went to testify. We can understand why Lucas turned him down, being that his first witness got killed while he was guarding him. The last episode he appeared in was 'The Anvil Chorus,' as Sam Benson, he's the guy that went to get his guns from Nils when Nils was acting deputy marshal and Nils called him Lucas.
'The Second Witness,' asRobert Foulk played Toomey in several episodes of "The Rifleman." Remember him in 'The Raid?' He was the one who turned back - he didn't go on to help Lucas find Mark when he was kidnapped by Indians. Bummer! But Lucas understood! He was in 'The Second Witness,' 'Three Legged Terror', 'Outlaw's Inheritance' & he played Herbert Newman is the episode - 'The Lost Treasure of Canyon Town.' He also played Roy Trendell in "Green Acres."
Do you know what Toomey's first name was?Bobby Crawford Jr. was in this 'Eight Hours To die,' 'The Gaucho' and 'The Second Witness,' he played Freddy Toomey. He's the boy that told Mark his Pa wouldn't make it to testify against Slade Burrows.
He also appeared in his own series, "Laramie," as Andy Sherman.
He and Johnny appeared together in the movie "Indian Paint."
We all know who's brother he is, don't we? Do you know who is the oldest of the two?
Be sure & check out The Robert (Bobby) Crawford Jr. website.
Be sure & stop by and say "hay" to Ginia.
Fritz Ford appeared in 'The Second Witness' as Carl, the second deputy—'The Angry Man' as a townsman—'The Sheridan Story'—as the Lieutenant —'The Apprentice Sheriff' as a Cowhand, he was the cowboy was holding a gun on Lucas in the saloon while Sandy Dixon beat on Dan Willard—'The Safe Guard' as Townsman, Mr. Jones, he was the man talking to Lucas in the bank.
He was sometimes a stunt double for Chuck Connors in "The Rifleman" and many other TV Series/movies as "Branded"—"Arrest and Trial"—"99 and 44/100% Dead"—"Soylent Green"—"Tomahawk Trail"—"Captain Nemo and the Underwater City"—"Target: Embassy"—"The Legend of Sea Wolf" he was sometimes credited as Fritz Apking.
He played football for the University of Washington.William (Bill) Catching appeared as Tom Williamson in 'The Second Witness." He was the first witness that was killed on his way to Silver City to testify against Slade Burrows.
He also has appeared as a stuntman and a stunt coordinator and appeared with Chuck in "Branded" and "Ride Beyond Vengeance."
He has doubled for such actors as Glenn Ford, Peter Lawford, Robert Stack, Efrem Zimbalist, Jr., and Lee Majors.
He has acted and has appeared as a stuntman and a stunt coordinator in just about everything imaginable.Edgar Buchanan, played Doc Burrage, in 5 episodes of "The Rifleman." 'The Angry Man' - 'The Second Witness' - 'The Deadly Wait' - 'The Trade' - 'The Pet.' He also appeared in another episode of "The Rifleman" as Grandpa Fogarty in 'The Long Goodbye'..... As head of the town council, Lucas is asked to remove a young boy from the custody of an older man, who many people believe to be incapable of raising the boy. He went on to play Uncle Joe in the series "Petticoat Junction". How many of you remember him as "Judge Roy Bean"? He also appeared in "Shane." He appeared as Judge Bryson in "Move over Darling" with Chuck. He has entertained us for many of years.
How many actors played Doc Burrage? How many actors played Nils or was it Niles or Nels? Was it Swenson or was it Svenson? See my Blacksmith page.'The Second Witness' episode #23—Doc Burrage....."What happens to Mark?" Lucas to Hattie....."Take care of Mark for me?" Hattie to Lucas....."I'd give anything to have that boy of yours for good, but....."
The telescopic rifle used in this episode was a Lyman Special ~ ten power scope ~ full windage ~ elevation knobs. Optics, best made in Europe.
The first modern telescopic rifle was developed in Germany around 1880 - I.E. about the time the episode is set. U.S. made telescopic sites had been around since the 1840's - they were long, running the full length of the barrel (which was shown in the episode), they were heavy, awkward, cumbersome etc. Telescope makers were capable, of course, of making high powered telescopes, but mid-19th century US scopes were usually relatively low power (2.5 to 3x or whatever - - usually nowhere near the 10x described in the episode). Thanks Renewed Fan!*If anybody has any information on any of the stars, and would like to share it, please get in touch with
Trivia—'The Second Witness'
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updated 10/4/08